[PRP] At A Crossroads [Coracias + Masozi][FIN]

[Menelie]

Menelie

It had been several weeks now since that awkward, ill-fated dinner he'd planned for Coracias, and Masozi's life had returned to what might be considered normal. He didn't let his work slip, he scheduled himself on sort of a rotating shift so he didn't spend too long with any one set of workers (thus avoiding the potential for this problem to happen again), and he was pleasant and cordial to Coracias when they did work together. At home he tried to cook more often and spend time with his family. He was determined not to fall back into the black hole of despair, even if he'd sealed away the hurt of rejection.

Today he was finishing up work for the evening, doing a final walkthrough through the main part of the vineyard to make sure everything looked good. He'd just finished a conversation with Ruya about how to enlist more harpies without causing a turf war, and she'd gone off to her...nest?...for the evening, so he was alone with his thoughts.

Daisicle

Cora had spent the past few days mulling over what Miriam had said to her regarding her future plans, not that anypae would have noticed from her normal work behavior. She'd since come to a conclusion of sorts, and today she'd begin feeling it out. There wasn't any grand expectation of things going smoothly, but the lass had been right - if she was to be leaving soon anyways, what harm would be done in reaching out first. The conversation had helped her recognize that she'd be leaving with regrets, perhaps running away with them. It would have been a first, a first she never wanted to have.

If nothing else, she wanted to leave here fully proud of her time spent.

Noticing Masozi doing his checks for the evening, she smirked a bit and walked on over to give him a playful smack on the back like before. "Eyy bossman, what's up?"

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

Masozi startled somewhat and looked up. "Oh, Coracias!" He said with a pleasant smile. "Oh, I'm just finishing up here. Can I help you with something?" He looked around slightly. She hadn't sought him out in some time. He wondered what was going on.

Daisicle

Now that was a bit of a boring reaction...

She placed her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels slightly before bending forward to look with slightly upturned eyes. "Not really." She pivoted on her heel and walked a few steps away before turning back around to look at him again. "Just wanted to let you know today's my last day working here. I put in my notice a couple of days ago."

Menelie

Masozi looked up abruptly. "Wh--you're leaving?" He asked, unable to keep a hint of panic out of his voice. He knew she would move on eventually, but this seemed so soon! He tried, unsuccessfully, to make his expression neutral again.

Daisicle

Cora smiled wryly and took a step closer, much happier with that reaction. "What, gonna miss me? I figured you'd be happy to have me leaving the workspace, all things considered."

Menelie

Masozi cleared his throat, trying to compose himself, but a blush gave him away again. He rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to find an answer that would both entice her to stay and remain professional. "I wouldn't say that," he murmured, before straightening a little. "On the contrary, I find you to be exceptionally pleasant." The slightest pause. "To work with!" He added hastily. He put a hand on his cheek. Boy was he messing this up. "I...are you sure there's not more for you to learn here?" He asked, letting a shred of genuine emotion through.

Daisicle

Cora narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped right back to a normal talking distance from him. Her smile grew as he spoke and she leaned in a bit, but backed off with a shrug. "Can't say there is - I just got the okay on the sommelier bit, so I don't see why I would stay in the fields anymore."

Menelie

Masozi blinked a few times while her statement registered. "In the fields...? You--sommelier? You mean you aren't leaving the village?" He stammered out, running a hand through his hair.

Daisicle

Cora raised her hands to more dramatically shrug as she shook her head, then placed them on her hips. "Not quite yet - I still have a few things that I need to do here, and I prefer to leave regrets behind, not bring them along for the ride." She smirked, then left out a single laugh. "What, the thought of me leaving really spooked you huh, soon-to-be former-bossman."

"You'd made a terrible merchant, you know that?"

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

That last comment drew a real laugh from him. "From what you've had to say about merchants, I will take that as a compliment." He rubbed the back of his neck with a boyish smile. He couldn't help it. He was so relieved she wasn't leaving leaving. Though he would miss seeing her in the fields. "You know what? You did have me spooked, and I'm glad you're sticking around for a while longer. And you'll make a fantastic sommelier; it'll be a much better use of your skills."

Daisicle

She shrugged again. "I just meant you're too easy to read weirdo." As his earnestness followed up, she broke eye contact to scratch her cheek before crossing her arms and looking back with a nod. "You're damn right it will - these brains of mine are wasted tilling earth. That said..." she rocked on her heels a couple of times. "...got anything else you'd like to say to me former-bossman?"

Menelie

Masozi straightened up and folded his arms over his chest. He had an inkling of what she might be getting at, but he certainly wasn't going to allow himself to hope, and make an a** of himself again.

His body language was guarded but his gaze was soft as he addressed her. "Everything I'd like to say to you I have already said. I haven't changed my mind." A pause as he raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

Daisicle

Cora pouted and furrowed her brows a bit as she stopped rocking, unsatisfied by that reaction. She'd hoped that now that they were no longer coworkers, he'd have been eager to ask again. Guess she'd have to one-up him a bit and, after talking with Miriam the other day, she'd had a mind as to how to do that.

"By the way, did you know that the coastal village apparently has really good sugar can liquor - also known as rum?"

Menelie

Masozi scratched the back of his neck. Of course she didn't. He was an idiot for thinking, even for a moment. He had to work hard to put his expression back into neutral.

"Oh?" He inquired pleasantly. "That sounds intriguing. Are you planning to visit soon?"

Daisicle

"Yeah, figured I'm due for a bit of a vacation between positions." She grinned. "Wanna come with?"

Menelie

Masozi's eyebrows went way up. "I'm not sure I understand," he said cautiously.

Daisicle

"I asked if you'd like to come visit Partyzia with me." She reiterated.

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

"Yes, but....why?" He asked. Then he held up a finger. "Let me rephrase. What would we do there?" Despite his best efforts not to, he was beginning to feel hopeful again. Perhaps this was her funny way of telling him she was interested?

Daisicle

"When was the last time you took some time off to go do something fun? ...Outside of the village." She pouted somewhat. She had expected him to get flustered with her invitation, but was acting put-off. "I personally want to try the food and rum and, if it's good, whine at Eniko to get some stocked at the tavern. And I'd rather do so with good company."

"It's not like you're my boss anymore - it's fine. It's fine."

Menelie

Masozi's face went through several expressions in a few seconds. "I need...I need a minute." He pinched the bridge of his nose. This was, what, the second? third? time she'd made reference to the fact that he wasn't her supervisor anymore. He thought back to the last time they'd had a conversation, and the multiple times she'd called him "bossman". Guardians, she was such a fascinating puzzle when she wasn't so frustrating! He let go of his nose and ran that hand through his hair. He'd had about all he could take.

"As...friends? As colleagues? Damn it, Coracias, I want to believe you're dropping hints here but you play your emotions so close to your chest it's almost impossible to know what you're thinking!" He paused only a moment, pulling at his hair in frustration. "I've already told you my feelings haven't changed. I'm still--still in love with you. So if something has changed for you, I need you to tell me plainly, otherwise you're just being cruel."

Daisicle

Geh, this was neither the reaction Cora had expected nor wanted. Her expression neutralized, not even that fake smile of hers remaining. The way he pushed was slightly annoying - he really wanted it spelled out? What good did that do. It was no fun, and it never left anyone feeling any better.

"Then I'll be straight with you - I hadn't once considered looking at you in that manner from the time I arrived to this village until you confessed. You were fun to tease and somepae I got along well with even compared to most, but ultimately you were my supervisor, and I planned on leaving the village once I finished learning about the wine. Of course I couldn't entertain that sort of thing - it's harder to leave a place if you have real connections in it."

"I've intentionally kept you all at arms-length since I moved here so it'd be easier on everyone when I left."

She sighed and reached up to mess with her hair as she furrowed her brows. "Even so, now the time comes and it just doesn't feel right. Feels like I still have something to do here, and it's driving me up the wall. Like, what could it be?"

"I realized it was you and how you've been acting differently ever since that evening and it's frankly a little irritating - like I told myself no and I told you no and I should have already packed those feelings away and it should be done. That's what I did at the time. I'm not here to fill in for your late wife, and that's the end of it. I accomplished my goal, time to go. But for some reason, I can't just leave it at that. So, how do I clear this?"

"My thought was I should actually make an honest attempt with you, but I can't just do that. I don't work that way - feelings are super uncomfortable. So how can I do this without doing it? Bam. Do it away from the village - change of environment, change of perspective. I thought you'd jump at the idea, but guess I misread the situation."

She sighed and crossed her arms before looking over at him, expression largely neutral, but almost tired. "If you don't want to put up with entertaining my self-importance, I guess this works. Just let me know. I'll leave you alone and be on my way." There was a sense of relief she felt in putting these thoughts to words.

Menelie

Her words washed over him like an ocean wave. They threatened to bowl him over, but his heart was warm despite it all. This was the most candid she'd been with him, ever. And he felt like finally understood. When she finished, he took a hesitant step toward her, then another, until they were close enough to touch. He gently put his hands on her elbows, realizing as he did that this was the first time they'd really touched, and blushing. "Thank you for being honest," he said softly. "I'm sorry I pushed you, though I hope you can understand my hesitance. I do want to entertain you, as you said. I just needed to know you wanted me to." He took a deep breath and blew it out upward in a puff, blowing some curls out of his face. "And I know that...that I can't have you forever. I know eventually you'll move on to somewhere else. But...." he chanced giving her arms a gentle squeeze. "I think it would be worth it, even for a while." He let that hang for a moment before continuing. "I'd love to come away with you, if the offer is still open." There was....so much more he wanted to say, but he decided to quit before he made an even bigger a** of himself than he already was.

Daisicle

Cora pouted, feeling incredibly displeased and sickeningly vulnerable by her explanation-turned-rant, and she didn't make eye contact as he responded. Guardians she was not emotionally or mentally prepared for this kind of s**t right now. She pulled away and took a few steps in the direction of her house before turning back around, her face fairly flushed if he'd look carefully. She looked back at him, then to the ground, and then back with a furrowing of her brow. "I'm leaving once dawn has passed."

Menelie

Masozi bit his tongue as she pulled away, determined not to make this worse. But then, she turned back. And he did notice the color in her cheeks. Maybe he was getting better at reading her. A brief arrow of panic pierced his heart at the word leaving but then it clicked into place. He grinned. "I'll pack my things," he responded.